Chapter 4: Confrontation
Ino had a huge smile on her face as she left her new-formed team and went looking for Kiba. After the way she saw him looking at Sakura she just had to know if he really did have feelings for her or just missed spending time with her and being friends.
'Yeah right. No way has dog-boy only wanted to be friends again. The way I saw him looking at billboard brow, Kiba is so in love with Sakura. I wonder for how long?' She wondered if it was a case of love at first sight. 'Oh, what does it matter? All I have to do is to just get him to confess that he really is in love and then things will really start to get interesting.'Ino searched all over the school but didn't find Kiba; she then began to look through the park and any other surrounding places. She finally found him leaning up against a tree playing with Akamaru. She walked over to him with a smile on her face.
He must have known she was there because he turned his head to look at her. He didn't look happy at all, and was glaring at her with a look that was screaming at her to leave him alone.
"What do you want?" He asked picking up a stick and threw it for Akamaru to chase.
"I just came here to talk." She said in a sweet voice smiling.
"What's up with you? That smile you're wearing is making you look creepier then normal." Kiba said walking over to Akamaru, picked him up, and put him on Kiba's head. That smile Ino had on was creeping him out and he wanted to get away.
"Ha ha ha. Oh, Kiba! You're so funny." Ino forced a laugh still wearing her smile. Her left eye began to twitch with anger. 'Who you calling creepy dog-boy?' Ino thought trying not to scream at Kiba.
"Just tell me what you want already. I can tell your faking being nice and want to yell at me." He smirked. He could easily tell that Ino was not happy that he found her out. He turned around and walked out of the park and back into school grounds. Ino followed him and now both were standing outside the academy.
"Yeah whatever. Look I'll come right out and ask." Ino put her hands on her hips and asked. "Are you in love with Sakura?"
Kiba who was still walking stopped mid-step at what Ino asked him. His eyes went wide at her question and his hands that were in his pockets, turned into fists. 'She figured it out! But how? I made sure that no one could ever tell.' Kiba turned around to Ino and had on a look that was screaming, "yes he was in love with Sakura but he wasn't going to confess."
He forced a fake smile on his face, trying to look shock that she would even say something like that to him. To bad, his face was screaming the exact opposite. "Just what are you talking about? No way I'm in love with Sakura. What gave you that dumb idea?" He asked, wanting to know what proof she may or may not have. If she did have proof, he needed to get rid of it. He wasn't ready to tell Sakura his feelings yet, not with the way she was with Sasuke. It would only end badly for him if she fond out now.
Ino only rolled her eyes at Kiba and how stupid he was acting. "Oh, I don't know…maybe the fact that you were staring at her through most of the class with a loving/longing gaze." Ino smiled knowing she had him.
'Damn! She has me!' Kiba just scoffed, trying to play it off. "That proves nothing!" Akamaru, who was sitting on his head, picked his head up at Ino. "Arf! Arf!" Kiba pointed at her with Akamaru barking, agreeing with him.
"Well how about when we were kids? You were always hanging around with her no matter what. Even when I would fight with you or when I made it look like you peed yourself. Most guys I know would never come back the next day and hang out with us again…" Ino told him. She was looking into his eyes, looking for any sort of sign that would show her what his really feelings were.
This was conversation was heading into dangerous territory. "Well…that was…I…uh…I just felt like it ok!" Kiba tried to argue, but knew that there was no point. Ino had him, now he could only hope that Sakura wasn't around to hear them. He did want her to know about his feelings for her, he had always secretly hoped that if she knew then it would give him a good chance at being with her, but he was not ready to face her. When he did tell her his feelings, he wanted it to be the perfect moment.
It would happen when it was just the two of them alone together. The mood between would be good, their feelings would be that of complete relaxation and content. He could see himself wearing a big smile, while Sakura wore a softer smile, both blushing while they confessed their undying love to each other. It would be perfect, their hearts and mind would only be focused on each other. Not Sasuke, or anyone else.
Ino crossed her arms by now and gave Kiba a look that said she knew all. That it was pointless for him to lie anymore. "I thought it was weird that you still hung out with us, but not as weird as when Sakura and I stopped being friends. I always wondered why you suddenly stopped handing around, but now I see it's because you found out about Sakura liking Sasuke and didn't like it because you're in love with her." Ino knew she had won. There was no way he could try and get his way out of this. She had him.
Kiba wanted to scream. How she figured out his feelings was a mystery to him, but he couldn't let that bother him now. She had him and he could only stand there and pray that no one was around to hear what he was about to say. "Alright, I like her. What's the big deal?" He crossed his arms, turning his head away from her. He looked around with both his eyes and his nose, searching to see if anyone had heard them. He didn't pick on any scents that would be close enough for them to hear, so he was safe. Although he did pick up on Sakura's scent and it seemed to be getting closer.
He took in a big whiff of her scent and shut his eyes as a feeling of bliss overtook his body. Sakura's scent was by far the best smell he had ever smelt. He loved how no matter where he was or what he was doing, he could always smell her. Her scent was always with him, it was always in the wind, waiting for Kiba to take as much of it in as he could.
'I guess I better wrap up this little talk with Ino. Sakura already assumes I like this dumb blonde and I don't need her seeing us together to add to her thoughts. I need her to know that I'm available and waiting for her with open arms. No other girl had my heart, only Sakura!'He thought to himself, looking back at Ino, wishing she knew the meaning of the words "Shut Up". If Sakura did see them together, it could ruin his already low chances of getting together with her.
Not knowing that Sakura was heading their way, Ino made sure that they stayed where they were until she got what she wanted from Kiba. "The big deal is that you haven't told her yet. You'll have to tell her if you want to know if you two could ever be together." Ino explained to him. How could this guy be so stupid? She wanted to hit him for being so dense. If he liked Sakura then he needed to tell her, and if she said no, then he needed to make Sakura see that he was meant for her. Then Sasuke could be all hers.
Sakura's scent was getting closer, so Kiba needed to get Ino to leave. The easiest way was to get her angry. It may cause him to get a huge headache but it had to be done. "Why do you even care? You're probably only doing this thinking that if I confess then Sasuke will be all yours." He didn't miss the look that passed in her eyes. He had a feeling that those were her real intentions all along and now he knew for sure. "Well it's not going to work! Sakura likes Sasuke, and there's no way I'm going to say anything knowing her feelings for that guy!" Kiba said turning away and heading back to the classroom. Let Ino do what she wants no, no way would he let her get involved in his love life. He had his own plans on winning Sakura over.
One way was by getting stronger then Sasuke, beating him into a bloody pulp, and show Sakura that he could protect her. That he was the strongest and cared about her more then anyone else in the world. He would prove to her that he was best and that if, no when, she chose him, she would never regret it. She would always be happy by his side.
Ino watched him go but she still had one more question she wanted to ask him. "For how long have you liked her anyways?" She asked, waiting to see what his reaction would be.
Kiba's mind flashed back to the day he found Sakura's ribbon for her. How cute she looked, and how her smile made his heart beat faster. "What does it matter to you?" He replied, keeping his pace as he headed back inside the academy
Ino just raised and eyebrow. His reply told her everything. "For that long huh?" She wondered how she never noticed this.
"What's that suppose to mean?" Kiba stopped to turn around and yell at her. He didn't need her knowing that he has liked Sakura since he first met her. He wanted Sakura to know that, not her annoying ex-best friend.
"You've liked her since we were kids, haven't you?" Ino wanted to see if he would tell her the truth or try and lie again. Not that it mattered. She had a pretty good idea of how strong and how long his feelings for Sakura were.
Kiba suddenly felt like he was being closed in, and they weren't even inside a room. They were still outside. "No! I…well I…I just thought she was cute that's all. I mean, it's not like I've liked her since I first met her." He said turning around and left Ino. His face as red as a tomato.
'Great, just great! Why not just tell her everything. She already knows that I've liked her since we met, why not tell her just everything about my feelings for Sakura! Tell her how I use to follow her home like I was some lost puppy!' Kiba thought as he made his way back to his team. He would never to tell or anyone, maybe Sakura after they dated, but after he stopped being friends with he would follow her home to make sure that no one tried to hurt her. Just because he stopped being friends with her, didn't mean that he stopped loving her. He still did and he wanted to make sure that she was safe.
Once the dog-nin left her, Ino couldn't help the smile that claimed its way onto her face. "Looks like its true, Kiba really does love Sakura." She said to herself as she began to make her way back to her team also. "Now if I could only find Sakura and see what her feelings are." Just as Ino said that she caught a glimpse of pink hair. "Looks like today is my lucky day." Ino ran towards Sakura but slowed down when she got close enough to be seen.
She knew about Sakura's feelings for Sasuke, how could she forget, they stopped being friends because of those feelings. However if she remembered correctly, Sakura would sometimes blush at Kiba when they were playing together and Sakura would tell Ino after Kiba left that she thought he was really nice and liked him a lot. She never thought much of it back then, thinking that she was just being nice or because Kiba had given her candy or something that day. Now she really wondered what Sakura's feelings really were.
'Let's see if those feelings still exist, and if they do then I need to bring them back up!'Ino walked closer to Sakura and both girls stopped when they looked at one another.
"Ino."
"Sakura."
Both girls stared directly into the other's eyes, neither backing down from their staring match. Everyone knew of their rivalry and tended to avoid them when they got into one of their little matches. The to girls did not mind, they were rivals and they would only stop when someone won. With no one around, it just made it easier to fight without someone trying to break them apart.
"Going back in to wait for you sensei, Ino?" Sakura asked, as she began to walk into the building.
"I am, but Sakura let me ask you something." Ino walked up next to her. "Why did you and Kiba stop being friends? You two seemed really close growing up." It was a straight forward question and Ino waited for her reply.
Sakura only shrugged at the question given to her. "Who knows? You would have to ask him. One day we were friends, the next day he ignored me and wouldn't come near or even talk to me." Sakura explained looking straight ahead. If you didn't know Sakura as well as Ino knew her then you wouldn't have heard the sadness in her voice or the flash of pain in her eyes.
'So there are feelings for him still deep inside her. If anything, she is upset that she and Kiba aren't close anymore.''Ino thought, now knowing what she had to say and do. "Maybe you should ask him. After all you were much closer to him then I ever was. Actually there was a time when I began to wonder if you two liked each other." Ino waited for what Sakura's reaction would be. From there, she would be able to tell what her real feelings were.
Much like Kiba had done, Sakura stopped mid-step and turned to look at Ino. They were right outside of the classroom. "What your point, Ino? Are you trying to make me like Kiba so you can get Sasuke all to yourself?" Sakura asked her ex-best friend. She had a feeling that was the real reason why she was talking to her so suddenly.
She had to admit that it was a random thing to talk about, but Sakura didn't let it bother her. She would not let Ino win. "Well whatever you're up to, it's not going to work. I'll admit there was a time in my life when I did like Kiba a little bit, but all that changed when I realized my true feelings for Sasuke." She said crossing her arms, trying to look tough. "Well that and because he ignored me whenever I tried getting close to him." She mumbled the last part to herself and look away from Ino.
Another smile came onto Ino's face; she heard what Sakura had mumbled to herself. "So Kiba suddenly stopped hanging around you? Think Sakura; think about the time he stopped and what reason he might have to why he stopped being friends with you. You never know, you just might learn something pretty interesting." Ino told Sakura, who looked at her with confusion, before walking into the classroom and sat with her team.
Sakura soon followed in after her and sat down in the front waiting for her teacher and team to show up.
'What does Ino mean by that? Think about why he stopped being friends with me. What the point in thinking about it? We're older now and that's all in the past.' She told herself crossing her arms across the desk. 'But still…I've always wanted to know why he stopped but I could never do summon up the courage to ask him. Even now I…huh?' Sakura's thoughts were interrupted when the door opened and in walked Kiba and his team. Shino and Hinata were walking ahead of Kiba, who seemed to be lost in thought. Sakura just stared at the brown haired dog-nin as she thought over what Ino told her.
'Think Sakura; think about the time he stopped and what reason he might have to why he stopped being friends with you. You never know, you just might learn something pretty interesting.'
Sakura didn't realize that she was staring so long until Kiba turned his head to look at Sakura with a questioning look. At that point, Sakura quickly looked away only to glance out of the corner of her eye and looked away again. A light pink blush was visible on her cheeks and Kiba couldn't figure out why. He was sitting with his team as they waited for their sensei, wondering what why Sakura was suddenly acting so weird.
'Even now I still can't summon up the courage to ask him. Even after all these years, I just can't do it.' Sakura sighed, looking down at her lap. One hand went over her now beating heart. 'What's wrong with me? I couldn't stop staring and my heart…it's beating so hard. But I only get this way when I'm with Sasuke, and yet my heart is beating and face feels hot.'Sakura closed her eyes and took a deep breath to calm herself down. 'Are these my feelings of the time when I had that crush on him?'Sakura knew the answer to that question. It was true that she did still harbor some feelings for Kiba but never thought much of them because of her feelings for Sasuke.
Sakura looked out of the corner of her to see Kiba talking to Shino; Akamaru on his head looking happy. Hinata was off to the side listening to them and sometimes nodding her head if they spoke to her.
'Ino said to think about why he stopped. I thought it was because he liked Ino, but why do I get the feeling that that isn't true.' Sakura thought this over and found her idea of Kiba liking the blonde extremely unlikely. 'But if it's not that then what? I mean it's not like he has feelings for me and stopped being around me because he figured out my feelings for Sasuke…?' Sakura looked away from Kiba, wanting these sudden thoughts to leave her.
'That can't be it. It just can't be!'She didn't want to admit it, but it made a lot of sense. But there was still one thing that was still so unclear to Sakura. Did Kiba really stop being friends with her because he hated Sasuke that much? Or was there another reason? It couldn't be that Kiba…liked her? 'No way. Kiba…he couldn't think of me that way. Could he?' She wanted so badly to ask him and know the truth, but she was to sacred to.
Lucky for Sakura her attention was stolen away from Kiba when Sasuke and Naruto came back into class. With Naruto yelling and screaming at Sasuke, who would only talk back with insults. Both of them sat down besides Sakura and ignored each other. Sakura just shook her head and kept to herself. She didn't try to talk to Sasuke, or yell at Naruto for bothering him. She just sat there and thought about what Ino said.
'Ino said I would find something interesting when I thought about Kiba. Did she know about his feelings? So does that mean he really does like me?' She wondered to herself and suddenly she felt very tired. She put her arms on the desk and her head in her arms and closed her eyes not realizing that she was falling asleep.
/Dream/
Right now you can see a beautiful meadow filled with many flowers. It seemed to be spring and every flower there was in full bloom. There were two young girls running around, one blonde hair and pink hair, both were enjoying themselves. They were laughing and smiling the whole time.
"I'm gonna get you Ino!" An eight-year-old Sakura yelled chasing after her best friend.
"Let's see if you can Sakura!" An eight-year-old Ino yelled beck running from Sakura laughing and smiling. They seemed to be playing tag.
Neither saw a shadow watching them from the trees until it jumped down and lightly grabbed them by their arms.
"Ha! I win!" An eight-year-old Kiba said happy that he won. His puppy was bouncing up and down also happy that Kiba won.
"Aw! Not again!" Ino sighed in defeat sitting down on the ground. Kiba and Sakura soon joined her. "You weren't even playing with us and you still won!" She complained. It seemed like whenever they played with the young Inuzuka, he always came out as the winner.
"You're really good at this Kiba." Sakura said with a tiny blush on her cheeks. No one really thought much of it since she was always blushing when she talked. She was shy after all and they were use to it.
Kiba had a wide grin on his face."Yeah well…I guess it just proves what an awesome ninja I'm going to be." He put a hand behind his head and smiled at Sakura. He had a small blush on his face too but neither girl could see it because of his red triangles. He was happy that Sakura complimented him, it meant that she was happy with him.
"Where'd you come from anyways?" Ino asked now lying down and looked up at the sky.
"From the playground. I was playing with a few kids, but they all left so I came over here to play with Akamaru but saw you two and decided to join in on you game." He explained to them.
"You have too much energy in you." Ino told him standing up. "I'm going to get a snack from my mom. You guys want anything?" They both shook their heads no and Ino walked off.
Once gone Sakura turned back to Kiba and gasped as she looked at his hand. There was a cut on it and it was still bleeding.
"Kiba, what happened?" She pointed to his hand.
He looked down and seemed to suddenly remember that his hand was injured."Oh! I fell on my way here. There was a rock hidden under some leaves and I didn't notice until I fell." He told her with a sheepish smile. Actually while walking he picked up on Sakura's scent and started to run towards her only to trip on a rock that was easily seen.
"Are you ok?" Sakura asked taking his hand and looked at the cut.
Kiba could feel his cheeks turn pink at her touch. "I'm fine really. It's not as bad as it looks." He didn't want her to worry about him but was glad that she was giving him so much attention.
"Does it hurt?" She asked with concern in her voice. Sakura was worried about Kiba, he was a good friend to her and she didn't want to see him hurt.
"A little, but it's nothing to worry about." He told her. He didn't like seeing her looking so upset. He liked it better when she smiled.
Sakura didn't hear him, instead she brought his hand close to her lips and kissed the wound. Just like a mother would to her injured child. Kiba's cheeks turned a bright red as he watched her, he stared at her as his heart began to beat faster. Just as soon as she kissed it she stopped and moved his hand away from her mouth, but still held it in her hands.
"There! All better! My mommy does that for me when I get a hurt and she kisses it to make it better. It always worked for me and I hope that it worked for you" Sakura explained letting go of his hand.
Kiba just sat there staring at Sakura. His cheeks were a bright red, his mouth was open and he just continued to stare at Sakura.
"Kiba? Are you ok?" Sakura asked him looking worried. She wondered if he got hurt anywhere else.
"What? Oh wait! I mean…of course I'm ok! Thanks Sakura! You really helped me!" He told her in a weak tone.
Sakura looked at Kiba with concern still before getting up and put her hand on his forehead.
"W-what are you doing?" Kiba asked feeling his face heat up again. He wanted to move away but his body wouldn't move.
"Your face is all red and you're acting really weird. I wanna see if you have a fever." She explained to him taking her hand away and sat back down in front of him. "I'm worried about you Kiba."
"You're…worried about me?" He asked her. His cheeks were no longer red but his heart was still beating fast.
"Yes of course. I care about you. How can I not be worried?" She smiled at him.
Kiba just looked at Sakura for a moment before getting a serious look on his face. He gulped before speaking. "Sakura..."
"Hm?" Sakura looked at him still smiling wondering what he wanted to say.
"There's something that I've wanted to tell you for a while now." He began looking her in the eyes. He looked nervous but seemed very serious.
"What is it?" Sakura asked, wondering why he had such a serious look on his face.
He opened his mouth, but seemed to have a hard time getting the words out. "I wanted to tell you…that I…well…I…I…I like yo…"
"I'm back!" Ino jumped down next to them scaring them both.
"Ino! Don't do that." Sakura said turning to her best friend who was laughing at them.
"Sorry. I couldn't help it." Ino laughed sitting down with a bag full of candy. "Here. I know you guys said you didn't want any I still brought enough for all of us.
"Wow! Thanks Ino!" Sakura said taking a piece of candy.
"Kiba?" Ino asked holding the bag to his face.
"No thanks. I have to get home soon, so…I better go." He said standing up. "See ya guys." He walked off after that.
"What's his problem?" Ino asked.
Sakura just shook her head saying she didn't know before standing up and ran after Kiba. As she ran she didn't see that Ino, the meadow and everything around her was disappearing. All she saw was Kiba.
"Kiba!" She called out to him. "What did you want to tell me before?" She asked him.
"I wanted to tell you that…" As Kiba was turning around his eight year old self disappearing and the twelve-year-old Kiba of today stood. "I love you." He looked right at Sakura who was now twelve herself.
"Kiba…" Sakura looked at him. She could feel her lips moving on their own, answering him. "I…"
Bang!
Sakura jumped at the noise and looked around the room. She hadn't realized that she had fallen asleep. She picked up her head and looked around only to see Naruto putting his arm around her and a camera in his other hand.
"Naruto…What are you doing?" She asked her chin now resting in her arms as she glared.
"Nothing." He said, his body was frozen stiff with fear.
Sakura who only sigh grabbed the camera and through it in the trash before hitting Naruto on the head. "That's for trying to take advantage of me while I was sleeping." She said moving past him and out of the row. She looked around the room to see that their team was the only one left.
"Ow! That hurt Sakura!" Naruto held his head in pain. "Stupid Kiba. If hadn't slammed the door so hard then Sakura wouldn't have woken up and hit me." Naruto mumbled to himself.
Sakura heard him and was ready to punch him again but then stop after thinking over about what he said. "Wait? Kiba? What'd he do?" She asked forgetting about her anger towards Naruto.
"His sensei came and got him and his team. He was the last one out of the room. He looked over at us before going out of the room and slammed the door." Naruto said jumping out of the row and walked over to the door to open it up and looked around to see if there was anyone outside. "He did that on purpose!" Naruto complained shutting the door.
Sakura just stared at Naruto before turning away to look at Sasuke who was looking bored and annoyed. She turned away and looked at the door.
'Kiba saw what Naruto was doing and slammed the door to wake me up. So does that mean he was jealous? Or was he just trying to annoy Naruto? And if he is jealous then does he really like me?'Sakura had a lot of question that she wanted answers to but knew that only she could answer them. She knew that she would have to get closer to Kiba to answer those questions and for some reason that she didn't know of she felt happy at the thought of getting closer.
'But is it because I like him or just want to be his friend again? I need to know.'She told herself before shaking her to get the thoughts out of her mind before walking over to Naruto, who was trying to pull a prank on their sensei when they arrived, to yell at him to stop.